It's DONE!!

YIPPEE!!!  My husband's 270+ page dissertation is complete!  Brad did such a good job writing it!  I loved getting to read/edit his work!  After helping him these last two weeks, I've decided that my dream job, after raising and homeschooling my kids, is to be Brad's secretary.  He's so appreciative of my help, and such a hard worker.  What a great, godly example he is to our kids.  In the last couple of weeks, Alex has said several times that Brad is his hero!  I agree!
 

Seeing the Light!

by Amy

While we've been in America, Brad has been working on his dissertation.  Knowing that it would take some serious time to research and write 250+pages, we planned to be here for almost a full year.  Well, we're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!  About 2.5 weeks ago, Brad finished writing!  Since then, he's been reviewing, rewriting, adding more quotes and changing things around.  Last week he handed me a 53 page chapter to edit!  Last night, he handed me another one.  So, things around here have been a little unusual. . . .  Homeschooling has taken a back burner to editing.  (My kids are enjoying extra days with Grandma or Papa.)  So, pray for us!  Pray for Brad.  Pray he'll finish strong and have perseverance as this is not the most enjoyable phase of writing.  Pray that he'll sleep well each night.  And pray that this paper will be used to further the Kingdom!  -- His deadline is Feb. 14.    

A fab Vacation!

by Amy

In October, we needed to head to Virginia for some meetings, so we decided to tag a DC Vacation on before the meetings began.  It was so AWESOME!!  -- All that I hoped for, and so much more!  We have dear friends that are on staff at Capitol Hill Baptist who let us stay at their home for the five nights we were in town.  They live in a parsonage on the church's property, 5 blocks behind the Capitol building, so it was perfect!

We spent Wednesday afternoon, all day Thursday and Friday on the Mall and in museums.  We walked -- A LOT!  I live in Asia.  I'm used to walking.  That is NOTHING compared to what we did in DC.  Thursday night we came in and I was so tired -- my feet were throbbing, my hips were aching, my calves were sore....  It was pitiful!  I soaked in a hot bath before crawling into bed and sleeping so soundly!  My kids were amazing!  I was shocked at how well they did.  There was one time we were walking back to our friend's house, up hill, and my feet were killing me, but I held my tongue!  I decided if my 9 and 7 year old kids can get there without complaining, I could too!  What a great example of cheerfulness they were!

So (mainly for my records) this is what we hit:

Wednesday:  (our plane landed at noon.)
Museum on Natural History
Union Station for dinner
Modes of Transportation:
Feet, Subway

To make our museum tours more exciting, before we went, I made a scavenger hunt for our kids to complete in each place we planed to visit.  (They had to do activities, answer questions, and take pictures.)  I based most of my questions/requirements on the movie The Night at the Museum Part 2.  (I think that is our all time favorite movie!!)  In the above picture my kids are pretending Rexy is attacking them!  

Thursday:
Air and Space Museum
Washington Monument (Unfortunately, we couldn't go inside it because of the earthquake!)
World War 2 Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Vietnam Memorial
White House (both sides)
Roosevelt Memorial Park
MLK Memorial
Modes of transportation:
Feet, pedi-cab (a bike with a trailer on the back)

Above:  The kids are "flying" planes at Air and Space.

He's holding the monument!!

Check out that blue sky!  Oh, it's good to be in America!

Can you say GREEEEEN grass?  WoW!

I think this was my favorite picture from our scavenger hunt!  They had to do the "Freeze Abraham" pose!  If you don't know what I'm talking about, rent the movie!!

This day was exhausting, but SOOO awesome!  My favorite thing we did on this whole trip was hire a pedi-cab driver to drive us around DC for an hour+ at night!  The city was absolutely beautiful!  We actually met the driver on our way to dinner.  So, he gave us a lift to our restaurant, then we called him to come pick us up for our night tour.

Because it was nighttime, our camera wasn't taking great pics; so you don't see any of the memorials in those shots, but I figure that's OK.  My kiddos are pretty cute!

Friday:
Supreme Court
Capitol
Library of Congress
American History Museum
Old Post Office building
Modes of transportation:
Feet, taxi

President Pedo

Saturday it was rainy or misty all day, but we planned to hit the National Zoo.  Since it wasn't really raining hard, we borrowed a few umbrellas from our friends and took off.  Because of the weather, the zoo wasn't crowded at all.  (We also didn't take any pictures!)
Modes of Transportation:
City Bus, Subway, and of course, feet!

On Sunday we went to church in the morning and evening, and spent time hanging out with some dear friends in the afternoon.  It was a prefect way to bring our vacation to a close.  When we were heading to Union Station to catch a train to Richmond on Monday morning, our host commented on how easily we got around the city.  He said he had never seen any one maximize the various forms of transportation DC has to offer like we did. :) I guess living overseas has made public transportation seem normal to us.  Within six days we rode an airplane, taxi, subway, public bus, minivan, pedi-cab, and train (as well as walked a ton!)

For your final viewing enjoyment, I'll leave you with some pics of our breakfast at Union Station before we boarded the train.

Christmas Countdowns

by Amy

I stink at celebrating Advent with my kids.  At our home overseas, we have 3 things that we do to count down to Christmas.  All three are numbered 1-25 and intended to be enjoyed on Dec. 1-25.  Even though we start the day after Thanksgiving to give us a little wiggle room, we don't usually finish most of them by Dec. 25.
  
1.  We have a "Rejoice Banner" that I made before I had any kids.  (Thanks Anne Marie!)  It's made of felt and doesn't require a lot of time each day.  Basically, we have 25 pieces that come together to create a nativity scene.  Day one, we put up a stable.  Then there are trees, animals, angles, a star, and finally Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.  My kids love it!  They were actually disappointed that I didn't bring it back to the States with us.  Every year, we do get all the pieces up on the banner -- even if that means I let my kids arrange after Christmas, before I put it away.

2.  Jesse Tree.  I love the idea of a Jesse Tree.  It traces Christ from the creation to the resurrection.  There's an ornament to represent the Scripture reading for the day.  My kids love the Jesse Tree, too.  They think it's fun to look at the ornaments hanging on our little tree and re-tell the Bible store that goes with it.  The only problem is that it takes time.  In the version we have, the Scripture reading is often a chapter or two.  That's fine for one night, but when we get behind, I feel overwhelmed by trying to conquer 3 or 4 in one evening.  Then, it becomes rushed, and stressed, not sweet and worshipful.  Last year, I just decided we'd do one or two a nights that we were home, and see how far we got.  It was definitely less stressful, and we got further than ever before - maybe day 18.

3.  The "Door Bible."  It's an advent book with the Christmas story hidden behind a door on each page.  Up until 2011, the Door Bible was our favorite Christmas activity.  Our kids take turns opening each door, and trade off going first each night.  And, since this is the one we used in place of famiy devos, we always finish it on time. (if we miss a night or two, it's easy to catch up!)  I was given this book when I was pregnant with Savannah, so we've used it every year since she was 1.  Unfortunately, it's now $55 on Amazon.  If you ever find a cheaper copy, I'd highly recommend it.  The pictures are fantastic!

But, this year....My dear friend Krista recommended we read Jotham's Journey.



It was so awesome!!!  The only problem we had was drawing it out over 4 weeks.  Every time I finished our nightly reading, the kids were begging me to read one more chapter!  It was usually Brad who had to insist I stop reading so our kids could go to bed!  We all really loved it!  It is the story about a 10 year old boy who through a series of events (including meeting Elizabeth and the Wisemen) ends up at the stable when Mary gave birth to Jesus.  The author did a great job paralleling the boys life with Israel and building the anticipation for the coming Messiah!  I highly recommend this book!  The author has has 2 more advent stories about two other children that also end up at the stable the night Christ was born.  We haven't read them yet, and I'm not sure we'll be able to wait unit next Christmas!

Another Pedo-ism

by Amy

When we lived overseas, my boys would walk in to the room where Brad was watching/listening to a sporting event and ask, "Who are we rooting for?"  They were happy to cheer with Brad and support whoever he liked.  Now, they seem pretty capable of making their own decisions....

On Jan. 2, we were watching the Stanford vs Oklahoma State football game.  Brad was rooting for OSU.  But, instead of pledging his allegiance to his father, and OSU, Peter declares that he's for Stanford.  Assuming (correctly) that he had never heard of Stanford before that game, I asked why.  He said, "I like the name....it has a 'ford' in it, like mine - Peter Bradford."  Really??  Yes, really.  He rooted for Stanford until the bitter end -- well, until he had to go to bed.  Crazy!    

My Green Husband

So, a couple of months ago, as we were leaving Starbucks (yes, we have 3 within walking distance of our home – and we actually walk to them!!!) we noticed they had bags of used coffee grounds, free for the takin’.  The sign next to the bags encouraged people to help the environment by sprinkling the used grounds on their gardens and flower beds.  We don’t have a garden.  We didn’t take any bags. 

But, since then, most mornings Brad chooses a potted plant or some flowers in front of our townhome to bless with our used coffee grounds.  I do not have green thumb – or pinky or any other digit, for that matter.  So, I’m thankful that my husband is diligently guarding the life of the poor plants that became my responsibility when we moved in here.  (We have 3 potted plants – one inside and two outside.)

Where we come from (on the other side of the world) they have other methods of protecting plants.  They basically don’t let anyone touch them – even the grass!  They don’t let you walk or sit on grass.  There are signs in every park that read:

Yes, the grass is sleeping, so DON’T walk on it!  I’m not willing to confess how many times I’ve told the “keepers of the grass” that I couldn’t read the sign and therefore didn’t know we couldn’t _______ (play baseball/ picnic/ run on/ walk in) the grass.  – Fortunately most signs are not translated so beautifully into English, so I can usually get away with that.  The funny thing is that the Asianese really says that the grass is sleeping!      

Back to America:  One day Peter saw Brad in action and asked why he was putting coffee on the grass.  Brad responded with, “It’s good for it; it helps it.”  Peter nodded knowingly, and said, “Oh, it keeps it awake.”  Because, ya know, where we come from, grass is usually sleeping!

New Smiles

by Amy

A couple of days before Christmas (and two days after we had professional pictures taken) Peter’s front tooth fell out!  Well, actually, Brad helped it out a bit because I couldn’t handle it dangling!  Peter was a little disappointed it came out before Christmas.  He had a friend tell him that if he lost a tooth on Christmas Eve and put it under his pillow, then tooth fairy would bring him $600!  I assured him that since I was his tooth fairy, he wasn’t getting $600 any day of the year!  

Then, on New Year’s Eve, Alex lost his front tooth.  I’m so glad Brad was around for both of the extractions.  For some reason, I just can’t handle loose teeth!!

  

They’re cute, but I’ll be glad when their permanent teeth come in! 

Must Save Memories!

by Amy

Yep, I’m back….  I’ve taken a blogging sabbatical lately.  Why?  I don’t really know.  It just seems that life has been going along so quickly, that I haven’t had time (or taken the time) to slow down and blog about it.  But in December, a friend emailed me asking for some game ideas for a Christmas party she was hosting for Asian women living here in America.  I vaguely remember hosting a few Christmas parties in the past, but I have no idea what games we played!  So, what did I do?  I read December blog posts from the last three or four years to help with the recall.  And, that’s when it struck me….I’m not going to remember anything about this year we’re spending in America because I’m not blogging about it!  So, get ready….  We’re going to take a few strolls down memory lane….    

Play Ball!

From Brad.

Well, I guess being a single dad for a few days has got me in the blogging mood. Amy's been in Louisville for the past few days attending a retreat, so I've been going solo...and really having a great time with it. I know we haven't blogged for a while, being here in the states can really keep you busy. I guess the main reason I wanted to blog was to share my joyful little league baseball experience with you.

In Asia, it was not uncommon for the boys and me to venture outside with a baseball bat and a few balls in hand. We'd turn the tennis court into a makeshift baseball diamond (a bit lopsided at that). Peter and Alex have always enjoyed taking some swings, and I've always enjoyed helping them understand and like the game I loved as a little guy (and even now although I've dropped the adj 'little'). So when we knew we'd be back in the states for a while, I really wanted to get them involved in little league baseball. I found a Fall league that would allow me to manage my own team (a requirement of mine since I've heard of a few horror stories of overzealous parents/coaches). We've played 8 games so far and I must say it has been a great experience for all. It is a coach pitch league for 6-7 year olds.

When I drafted the team, I requested to be the Rangers (Astros were taken, Rangers are a fun, exciting team with Texas connections). They initially said ok, but then switched us to the Blue Jays b/c of a lack of Ranger uniforms. Uggg, not even an American team! :) We missed the first 2 games b/c of a family business trip to the East coast. Our team tied our first game 3-3, and lost the second 6-0. Games 3 & 4 were the first for the three Morello guys (with Savannah being our ever faithful ball girl). We lost 8-6 in the third game (first for us). I was pleasantly surprised that Peter and Alex both hit quite well and our team scored double the runs from the first two games. However, I was the pitcher the whole game and there's nobody more nervous on the field than me! I'm 40 feet away from the hitter and its overhand pitch with a hard ball. Throw it too soft and its diving straight down as it crosses the plate (hard to hit). Throw it too hard, and its too fast (also hard for these young guys to hit). Throw it inside and risk hitting a kid which at this stage would mean the end of his baseball career (they're already afraid of 'death-by-hit-batsman'). You get the picture...a perfect pitch and the kid has a shot of making contact. Anything else, it's a swing and a miss and disappointment everywhere.

Our 4th game we lost 13-2. I had lots of strikeouts, really lowered my ERA. :) Not what I wanted. We got killed and I started wondering if our team (now 0-3-1) was going to win a game all year long. But to keep things in perspective, Peter and Alex (2 of the better players) missed games 1&2, two other boys (2 of the better players) missed games 3&4. Game 5 rolled around and we Rocked! We won our first game by like 10 runs. Peter and Alex continued to hit well, and even made a couple plays in the field. However, I had never taught them baserunning. So Peter rounds 2nd base as the 2nd baseman is holding the ball right there, and Peter has no clue IT IS NOT GOOD TO STRAY OFF THE BAG. He fortunately got back to the bag because his Dad YELLED, 'get on the bag!!!'. Okay, not mean, but definitely competitive. Yikes, its not as easy as it looks to stay calm out there.

Games 5 & 6 we both won and now are on a 4 game winning streak. Now some of the 'late bloomers' who previously were joyfully watching planes fly by overhead are actually paying attention to the game and swinging in the general vicinity of the pitch :) and every now and then running into one. Peter hit a ball under the second baseman's glove last game which rolled to the fence. Due to an overthrow, he made it all the way home. According to Peter, he hit his first home run. I just couldn't bring myself to give him the facts. "Yes, Peter, you really crushed that ball!"

And were also finding some opportunities to share with some of the parents, which has been exciting. Last week, one of the Moms shared with Amy that she's been under so much stress with work and life, she just went and bought a Bible to see if it could help her. "Do you know anything about the Bible?" she asked Amy. How neat to be in that situation at that moment.

Here are the sluggers:

There's no smiling in baseball!

 Ah, maybe after a HR!

Finally got one in his wheelhouse!

Aging Faster than Expected!

by Amy


When the Goodins were in town for two weeks earlier this summer, we all bought a Houston City Pass.  So, we had tickets to 5 or 6 Houston Attractions that had to be visited in a 9 day time frame - Great for people who vacation in Houston, not so great for Houstonians.  But, since the Goodins were vacationing in Houston, we decided to pretend we were vacationing as well.  So, we did fun things like go to NASA (absolutely amazing!), the Houston Aquarium (quite disappointing), the Children's Museum (AWESOME), the Zoo (way to Hot to visit in June), and the Museum on Natural Science.  One day, I may actually blog about all of those great places, and the fun time we had vacationing with the Goodins, but that day is not today.  Today is about Alex.....


When we were in the Museum of Natural Science, we all entered the Gem Room.  (we all = 4 adults, 3 girls and 3 boys.)  It was a dark area with several rooms and halls.  All along the wall were beautiful, well lit glass cases displaying all sorts of gems (and maybe some rocks?).  The overhead lights were out so as to highlight and magnify the sparkly gems.  Near the entrance was an interactive computer display.  Alex ran right for it.  The rest of us separated and walked through the display.  So, I'm guessing when Alex turned around, he couldn't see anyone he knew.  My kids are trained to just call out for me, if they can't find me.  "Mommy!  Mommy!"  (It works better in Asia when they're the only ones yelling "Mommy!")   But, because Brad and I had entered the VAULT and were admiring the lovely sapphires, rubies, and diamonds, and since some crazy music was BLARING in there, we could not hear the cries of our son.  I'm assuming some other kind person heard those cries and took Alex to the "Lost Kid Headquarters."  And, since we were in the Vault, could we hear my name over the loud speakers as I was being paged....  Thankfully, the girls were not in the vault, so they came running to find us, thinking I was in trouble.  About this time we all realized we hadn't seen Alex in a while....  So, being the bright mama that I am, I concluded I had lost my son -- (Such a bummer...I just about had the Mom of the Year Award in the bag, until this unfortunate event.)  So, I raced downstairs to find my son behind the security desk, waiting to be claimed.  


He hugged me and promised to never leave my side again; I hugged him right back and reassured him of my forever love.  I was a little surprised the security guard let Alex leave with me -- He didn't even ask my name.  Then Alex said, "It's OK. I told them what you looked like, so that's how he knows your my mamma."  "Really? What did you say?"  Alex responded, "I told them you have curly hair and that Daddy looks like a grandpa."  

Oh my!  We laughed so hard!  A. my hair is not curly (see picture above).  And B - well, what do you think?  Does Brad look like a grandpa to you?  Of course not!  You know that security guard was so hoping the "Grandpa-looking Father" would be the one to claim the kid.  Too funny!  


PS -- Alex held my hand the rest of the day!  

First Impressions

So, we've lived in Asia for over four years.  My boys were 2 and Savannah was 4 when we moved there.  We came back to the States for a 3-week vacation about 2 years ago, but that's it.  Needless to say, things have changed since the last time I had a home here.  These are some of the fun/funny things we've noticed:

You can pause your TV.  Yes, you're watching a TV show, (not a DVD) and you can pause it to run and get a drink.  That's crazy!  I've heard of this TEVO thing where you can record your TV shows w/o a recorder (I've never done it), but I didn't know you could pause it.  Crazy!  

Peter was out riding his bike one day and came in to ask me for a towel.  When I asked what he needed a towel for he replied, "I was riding on the sidewalk and those things that are cleaning the bushes outside got my bike wet.  Sprinklers....I guess we don't see sprinklers in Asia! 

Laundry Detergent....Oh my!  In Asia, I don't buy my own laundry detergent.  My helper always did that for me.  So, after not buying detergent for over 4 years, I was overwhelmed.  They have liquid and powder, tons of scents, and lots of sizes!  I literally spent 20 minutes in laundry detergent isle, trying to decide what was the best value, what flavor I liked, and if I wanted energy saving detergent - what in the world?!  

Sidenote:  On our first morning in America, I woke up at 2am.  After laying in bed for an hour, I got up and was out the door by 3:30, on my way to super wal-mart!  By 6:45am the only people I had seen in the store were the stockers.  How strange for the grocery store to be open, but not full of people!  Then, I went to through the checkout, with my 199 items (I had 2 carts!), and they rejected my credit card.  I gave them another one, and it was rejected.  Then, I pulled out a check (I hadn't written a check in 4 years) and they rejected that too.  I borrowed my checker's cell phone to call my dad, but he couldn't come help me.  Finally, I called the number on the back of my credit card, and got it squared away.  I told my checker that if I had to walk away without my groceries (after shopping for 3+ hours) I was going to cry.  Thankfully, no tears were shed that morning!  

The sky is blue and clouds are lovely!  

Finally, I think the most surprising thing is how people drive!  They notice my kids!!  Parking lots and streets, are safe!  People driving cars stop way back to allow us to cross the street.  When my kids are riding their bikes on the sidewalk, drivers slow down to a crawl.  It's amazing!  I really don't think I'll ever get used to that!   

I'm sure I could go on and on....but I won't!  Maybe I'll write about a few more things we've discovered in another post.  

My boys are 7!!

Yep, on June 8, 2011, my little, baby boys turned SEVEN YEARS OLD!!!  Oh, my, how time fly!  Their day was fun!  We started off by meeting their cousins at Shipley Donuts.  Mmmm!  they're the closest thing to Krispy Kreme in Houston.  Then, we piled the girls (Savannah, cousin Emily, almost 5, and cousin Amanda, 6 1/2) in Grandma Sue's car.  They boys, (Peter, Alex, and cousin Travis, 10) hopped in our car, and we all headed downtown to a free production of Camp Rock 2 at an outdoor theater.  It was a warm June day in Houston, but we were sitting in an open-air, covered theater and it was perfect!  (My kids all love Camp Rock 2 and loved singing along with all the fun songs!)

Emily, on the left is my brother's daughter, and Amanda, on the right, is Brad's sister's daughter. Aren't they cuties?!?

Then, my dad met us at a yummy Mexican restaurant for lunch.  (I tried to talk him into attending the play with us, but I just couldn't convince him!)  Mexican food.... you gotta love it!  We had 10 people, and including tax and tip, the whole meal was $60!  Granted, we weren't at Pappasitos, but it was pretty great!  After will filled our bellys, we went down the street to Chuck-E-Cheese.  My boys played and played and played!  They had a blast running around with their cousins and collecting tickets.

After playing for a few hours, we pulled out the birthday cake.  This is the first year in their whole lives that I didn't make their cake.  We had been in America for a week and I just couldn't get my act together. ( Last years cakes took about 8 hours to make and decorate.)  Peter was crushed when I told him I couldn't do it this year.  My husband assured me time and time again that he'd get over it.  He was right.  When Sue took him to Sam's and let them pick out what ever cake they wanted, there were smiles all around!  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the cake they picked!  It was a small Toy Story themed circle cake with cupcakes around it.  

 
So, there you have it!  Alex and Peter are really seven years old!  I praise the Lord for each of them!  They are unique and fun!  What a blessing they are to this mama!  May they have many, MANY more birthdays to come!

I've fallen....

and I'm trying to get up!

Yes, I know it seems as if I've fallen off the face of the earth!  Technically, I just relocated on the face of the earth.  And, even though WiFi and Internet are FAST on this side of the world, so is everything else.  I tell you, we got off the plane on May 30 at 6:30pm and I have hardly stopped running since!  These last two months have been full!  And, I plan on blogging about it and posting fun pics, at some point, but the next 6 weeks are FULL as well.  So, here's a quick recap and preview:

Recap:
June 8, Peter and Alex turned 7!
June 9, we drove to OK to spend a long weekend with dear friends before they moved half way around the world, again.
June 14, precious friends from Colorado came to spend 2 weeks with us!  We did: NASA, Aquarium, VBS, Children's Museum, Dates, Swimming, Boating, Zoo, Cars 2, and much, much more!
July 4, Fun with family!
July 8, 9, and 10, Brad and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary, without kids, thanks to my awesome mother-in-law!
July 12 (and 13), Savannah's Brithday ~ Splashtown and circus
July 15, we went to Bryan/College Station to see friends, share about out life in Asia, baptize our boys, and preach.
And, this week, my kids have been at a rockin' VBS each morning.
On top of all that, my mom has been in the hospital twice, Savannah's had an ear infection, I've joined a women's Bible study, kids have been trained in chores, Brad's been writing his dissertation, and we've loved seeing our family as much as possible!

Preview:
Next week, I'm attending a Homeschooling Conference in the Woodlands (north Houston).
Next Saturday we'll spend the day at Lake Conroe with one of Brad's friends from 20+ years ago.
Sunday we'll share about our Asia-life at a local church.
Then, on Aug 4 we'll take off for Louisville where we'll spend almost 3 weeks re-connecting with friends there, while Brad meets with professors and continues working on his dissertation.
At the end of August, we'll travel to South Carolina to participate in a conference, and head back "home" to Houston sometime after Labor Day.

Whew!  Life has been rich!  And, the next month will be full as well!  So, my goal is for you to hear from me again before Sept. 15, but I can't make any promises!

Now, for a few pics....  These are from my boys' first Astros game!  (Savannah was 3 weeks old when she attended her first game!)  

Something's Wrong With This Picture

Last Friday night, we went to some friends' home for dinner.  When we were leaving their home, I was so confused because only one of each of my flip flops were sitting by her door.  How did that happen?  Kevin said he noticed my feet right as I walked in and he figured I was wearing some special orthopedic shoes or something (Thanks, Kevin!  I'm only 6 years older than you!)  No, I was just too scatter brained when I left my house that I didn't notice I had put on two different shoes!  


Yes, things have been a little crazy around here these days!  We are deep in to packing mode.  In one week from tomorrow, movers will come to collect most of our earthly possessions and put them in storage.  Then, on Monday, May 30, we'll hop on a plane (or four) and 26 hours later, Lord willing, we'll land in Houston.  I'll do my best to wear matching shoes from here on out!  

Photo Fun!

Recently, the kids and I have gone on a couple of photo scavenger hunts.  We've been looking for letters.  Can you read this?

Home - part 2

When we moved here, Savannah was four years old, almost five.  Now, she's eight, almost nine.  She's lived almost half her life in this apartment.  She remembers a few things about our apartment in Louisville, but nothing our time in Colorado.  Most of her memories have been made while we lived here.  She knows what to expect when she goes to school, and when she comes home.  She loves her bed and her room full of her favorite things.  She has friends and feels safe here.  The fact that her room currently has 30 packed boxes stacked in the corner has been a bit unnerving to her.  It's a reminder that she's leaving home and going somewhere unfamiliar.  What will her new room look like?  Who will she play with?  Will the kids laugh when she can't remember the right English word?  Will she get their jokes?  Will they get hers?  


We've been talking a lot about "home" in our home these days.  Not only do I want Savannah (and the boys) to understand that they'll never feel completely at home until they're in Heaven, but I want them to hold tightly to the most important truths -- truths that are familiar and not changing.  Our God is our God, here and there (in the US).  Our sins are forgiven, here and there!  I'm their mama, here and there.  Our family will be together, here and there.  


Ever since Savannah was little, she's had a hard time with transitions -- often having a physical response (getting sick, sleeping poorly, etc.)  So, pray that through this transition, we can encourage her to keep her feet firmly planted on the Rock of her salvation, and help her find peace as she trust in her unchanging Lord!  
     

Home - part 1

by Amy


What is home?  Is it the place you sleep every night?  Is it the place where your stuffed animals are (like a hotel room)?  Is it where you feel safe?  Is it somewhere familiar?  Is it where you grew up or where you currently live?  Is it where you passport was issued?  Is it where you understand the people and love the food?  Is it where you feel loved and accepted?  Is it where you've spent the longest amount of time?  Is it where you really belong, where you fit in and don't stand out?  Is it where you need to be, even if you don't want to be there?  Is it defined by a place or a person/people?  Is it all of the above, none of the above or some of the above?  Does everyone have the same answer?  Should everyone have the same answer?  Does the answer change depending on where you are?


These are some of the questions I've been asking myself lately....  You see, as we're packing our belongings, preparing to move everything in storage, so we can go back to the States for a year, I'm excited!  Part of me feels like I'm preparing to go home!  Home to America.  Home to my extended family that knows me so well.  Home to my precious friends that have loved me from a distance so faithfully these past four years.  Home to good Tex-Mex and baseball games!  Home to where I can read every sign on every building.  But, the other part of me feels like I'm leaving home:  The home where I first began homeschooling my kids.  The home where some of my closest friends live.  The home where I have the kitchen table of my dreams.  The home where my baby boys grew into little boys.  The home where I learned to make tortillas and homemade bagels.  The home where I experienced the joy of seeing my daughter baptized and introducing many others to their Creator.  


Can both of these places be home?  I don't really fit in here.  Locals comment on what funny shoes I wear or how how few layers of clothing I put on.  They think my cookies are too sweet and my dinners are too cheesy.  And, yes, my language has come a long way, but sometimes they speak too fast and I can't understand what they're saying.  And, I'm afraid, if I'm totally honest, that I won't really fit in back in America either.  My clothes and shoes are completely out of style.  I haven't listened to the latest music or watched the most recent movies.  And, I've forgotten many basic English words.  Here, it's totally common to sub in a local word or two when speaking English.  All my friends do it, so it's not a big deal.  Meaning is not compromised.  But in America, I'll sound silly as I search for the right word.  


So, if home is defined by being where I fit in, then I guess I'm homeless. 


Homeless... The Word says that I'm a citizen of Heaven.  But, since I'm not in Heaven right now, I'm a stranger and an alien walking around on Earth.  Sometimes I really feel like an alien here.  I have a feeling I'll be quite a stranger in my Homeland as well.  So where does that leave me?  Longing for Home.  A place where I'll completely fit in.  A place where I'll be completely known and understood.  A place where I can understand everyone around me.  A place of peace, rest, and pure joy -- and great food!!  Oh, the day is coming, and not so far off, where I'll be Home!  Until then, I'm going to keep-on persevering, seeking to make the best of this alien-life I have.  I'm going to find fellowship with other strangers and invite those around us to join the alien-life as we keep our eyes fixed on our Home.       

Happy Anniversary!

by Amy


April 17, 2007, will forever be ingrained in my memory!  It's the day we got off the plane and began our life on this side of the world.  In so many ways, it seems like it was just yesterday that Brad and I drug 3 small children (at that times, ages, 4, 2, and 2), a double stroller weighted down with our 10 carry-ons, 11 trunks, and 4 rolling suitcases and 1 over-stuffed duffel bag half way around the world.  Side note:  by the time we got to LAX, we were convinced that my brilliant idea of packing our most heavy items, like books, in our carry-ons that had no weight limit, was a very bad idea! 


But, on the other hand, April 17, 2007, seems like a million years ago!  It's encouraging to think how far we've come in the last 4 years - especially in the area of language.  Oh, how many times did I have to call a friend and have her tell my taxi driver where I wanted to go?  Now, I'm the one getting calls and talking to my friends' taxi drivers!  How many times did I pay way too much for something at the market?  Now, I'm familiar with reasonable prices and enjoy doing a little bargaining.  Oh, and I remember feeling so discouraged about cooking four years ago.  I had a huge stack of recipe cards, and I could find what I needed to make exactly three recipes.  Now....there are probably about 3 recipes I can't make, (thanks to my husband's awesome use of the local ebay!)  When we first got here, I couldn't even express my most basic needs but, now I can, by God's grace, point my friends to the One who can meet all our needs.  


These last four years have not necessarily been easy, but they have been blessed!  We praise the Lord for bringing us here and pray that we have many more years in this place!            

Feelin' the Love -- And...

REJECTIN' IT!

So, the other day I was leaving the grocery store and flagged a taxi to take me home.  This is the conversation I had with my driver:

Driver: Where are you from?
Me: America
Driver: Oh! American women are so beautiful!
Me: No, Americans are big. (People here often comment on weight. =) )
Driver: Oh no, Americans are so much more beautiful than locals.  You are beautiful.  How old are you?
Me: uh... this year I'll be 36.  So, are you a local?
Driver: Yes, I really like Americans.
Me: Really?  Do you know many Americans?
Driver:  No, but I really like them.  Americans seem so friendly.
Me: So...(thinking, that I need to change the subject) are you married?
Driver:  Yes, but before I was married, I wanted to find an American bride.  American women are so beautiful.
Me: I bet that would be difficult since there aren't many foreigners in our city.  How long have you been married?
Driver:  11 years.
Me:  Oh, I've been married almost 12 years.  My husband's great!
Driver:  I was way too young when I got married.
Me: Really?  Do you not like your wife?
Driver:  Not too much....Do you like your husband?
Me:  Oh yes!  I love my husband!  He's a Christian, like me, so he is faithful and kind, quick to serve.  He loves me and is a wonderful father to our 3 kids.
Driver:  I really want to kiss you.
Me:  Ummm Excuse me?
Driver:  I want to kiss you.  You know (smacking sounds)....
Me: Uh NO!!  NO! Impossible!  My husband would not like that!  No.  You. may. not. kiss. ME!!!

Thankfully, we were almost home at that point!  When I tried to pay him, he didn't want to take my money.  I threw the money at him, yelled, "Keep the change!" and ran into the building!

That kind of love, I'm definitely rejecting!!

Anyone Hungry?

So, the other day, I was planning to take Peter on a lunch date.  Brad was out of town, so that left Leigh (my helper) here with Alex and Savannah.  Since it was just the three of them eating at home, she decided not to cook lunch, but let the kids pick some leftovers to eat.  I guess leftovers didn't sound too appealing to Alex because when I walked in the kitchen to say goodbye, Leigh was fixing him a honey and mayo sandwich.  Yes, honey on one side and mayo on the other.... nothing in the middle.  I don't know who came up with that idea, but I promptly overruled it and told Alex he could have a ham and cheese sandwich.  Oh my!